The UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has launched the tunnel drilling works of the Route 2020 Project, which will add 15 km to the Dubai Metro Red Line from Nakheel Harbour and Tower Station to the site of Expo 2020 Dubai.

He also reviewed the interior design of the new rolling stock of the Dubai Metro and the progress of the project, reported state news agency Wam.

Upon his arrival at Discovery Gardens, Sheikh Mohammed was welcomed by Mattar Al Tayer, the director-general and chairman of the board of executive directors of the RTA along with the top executives of Parsons Systra, the project engineer and Expolink Consortium, the project contractor.

At the start of the visit, the Dubai Ruler was briefed by Al Tayer on the progress of work on Route 2020.

The RTA chief said that the giant tunnel boring machine, named Al Wugeisha Expo 2020, would pass through the underground station near Jumeirah Golf Estates in January next year and by the end of December all tunnel drilling works will be completed, stated the Wam report.

The first of the new Dubai Metro rolling stock, said Al Tayer, will arrive in July 2018 and construction work for the metro viaducts will be completed in November next year.

All railway works of Route 2020 will be completed in July 2019, and the trial run of the metro will start in February 2020, stated the report, citing Al Tayer.

Sheikh Mohammed was also shown the new interior design of the Dubai Metro carriages, which are being manufactured in France under a contract for the supply of 50 trains: 15 for serving Expo 2020 and 35 for upgrading the service of the Dubai Metro.

He later inspected the new additions and improvements to the interior design of the metro cars.

The exterior design of trains will remain as it is, in order to maintain the design identity of the Dubai Metro and its familiar colours, and the new carriages are being customised for the use of people of determination and the smooth boarding and alighting of metro users, explained Al Tayer.

Sheikh Mohammed launched the operation of the tunnel boring machine to mark the start of the drilling works, said the report.

The tunnel starts at Discovery Gardens and stretches 3.2 km to The Green Community. It features depths ranging from 12.5 to 36m, it added.